I know some pics are being posted up on the old WestFest thread, but I thought it might be good to have a thread dedicated just to the pictures of the festival itself, so you don't have to start at page 137 or so to see what the hell went on there.

So here are my entries, hopefully to be followed by the undoubtedly superior work by other inmates.

Thursday evening, place begins to get active

Some fun water fights in the heat

Riders are rolling in

The Official KLR Fix-It tent and beer booth

Putts and Rebecca faithfully manned the helm

Montana 1000 course

This one feller rode from quite a ways out with a dog on the back of his KLR and the coolest trailer he built

My friend Darin stopped by. He grew up here, and knows every trail, official and unofficial, in the entire Bitterroot. He is the best bike rider I have ever seen operate on 2 wheels.

Klay trying his hand on the trials bike

More folks filling in the camp area

Friday Dinner! Kinsman had the grills and smokers going full time

Good stuff, man

Fires came out, beer flowed freely, and it was all downhill from there. I put the camera away after that and just.......participated.

Saturday Mrs Shady and I actually got to ride the bikes in the morning

Everywhere you looked in town there were dual sports

I pull up to the West Fest grounds with buncha kegs o' beer in the truck, and I am well received.

Saturday dinner is pulled pork. They were on the smoker all day, and damn if it wasn't delicious

Kinsman fed about 200 + hungry bastards like it was nothing. Man did we eat some food

KLR Row

Time for De Noobing. Some guys ran the ever-tightening slow slalom. M Panther took his Silver Wing, with a wheelbase only a little bit longer than my pickup, through the course like it was nothing.

Tyll had to show off a bit on the old Beemer. Shit he did the course back and forth like an old pro

This youg guy on a very clean KLR did very well. When the course got real tight (as they put the logs closer together each time) he finally dropped it, and lost a shoe. Sgt Marty asks the crowd if he should toss it in the log rolling pond or not

The guy with the KLR and trailer did the course with his dog. He had a runoff with the guy pictured previously. Both handled the bikes really well in the tight course

But the old master on the 60's Triumph owned them all. He rode it like it was a trials bike. It was really impressive.

Lotta these guys you notice I don't list their names, I met so many people I forget half of them. Age, you know.

Tyll, master of ceremonies, gives the speech. Things happened after this in the de noobing. I'll look forward to other folks posting pictures of that.

So on Sunday after we get everything all cleaned up, a bunch of us head up to Lake Como. I told Tyll to jump off a cliff

Crazy bastage did it too

And lived

And made it back to the boat

Cheers!

This was my first West Fest. I have been a noob for a few years on the site, and met a few of the folks previously. When the idea for West Fest in Darby came up, I told Tyll I'd do anything I could to help. It was a joy the whole way through, and Val and I met so many great folks who traveled many miles to get here. I wish I could list everyone who went out of their way to give a nice word for what was done to put this event together. Tyll worked tirelessly on the many details, and many other folks put so much into putting this together. But hell, I live right here, and the little bit I could manage to contribute was a pleasure through and through, and not in any way an inconvenience. I was so happy to meet many of the inmates who make up ADV Rider.

We picked up the kegs, old tires, oil barrel and other stuff today and were heading home after saying our good-byes to the those who were still around town. Kinda tired, we roll up highway 93. Val turns to me and says,

"You know, they really are a good buncha guys."

Damn right.

__________________
Originally Posted by Javarilla

Evolution, or, natural selection, has nothing to do with better.

It merely weeds out what is no longer suitable for the given context.

Originally Posted by Dragoon

I would rather be on my motorcycle thinking about God than in church thinking about my motorcycle.

I rolled in at around noon Thursday (about 4 weeks and 6000-plus miles after leaving home ).

I got set up in the trees.

Thursday night was fun.

Friday, I took a ride into the McGruder Corridor with Rockin' Rollin and Redone. We went up to about 8000 feet/a couple of miles past the McGruder Massacre sign.

Redone did it on his FZ1 -- the same FZ1 that he took over Engineer Pass loaded with luggage.

Rollin

Ross (Redone)

I had fun.

Friday night was a typically quiet WestFest night.

Saturday morning -- late Saturday morning -- knybanjo and I headed out for Granite ghost town. We went over Skalkaho Pass, like a lot of FFs did this weekend.

That banjo dude.

Skalkaho Falls

In Phillipsburg, we explored a bit before finding Granite. Kevin marked his territory.

Granite ghost town

A couple of SC bikes on separate trips -- except for this day.

Heading back to Darby for some barbeque.

The shenanigans Saturday night were fun. I became the WestFest 2010 Tire Bowling Champion, male division. That was a mighty lucky roll that I made to pick up the spare.

Again, thanks for a great weekend.

I'm in Hungry Horse, MT, for the night and am heading into Glacier in the morning.

Chris

__________________
I'm not lost. I'm explorin'.
"My dream is to live my life as best I can before I die, even if it kills me." -- Mr. Cob
"If you're on ADV and you're still anonymous, you're doing it wrong." -- Boondoggle

A great time was had by all - thanks again to Steve, Tyll, and everyone else who put on the event.

I didn't manage too many photos, but here are a few.
A burning chair:
Breakfast, ADV style:
Austin contemplates the wobbly log:
I went for a quick ride to Lake Como for a swim:
Attempt a long-exposure shot with the full moon:
Mr Vintage does the Magruder:
My attempt at a Radioman jump shot (I need to practice):
You couldn't take the smile off my face:

Watch out for rocks on the sides of the trail. I hit one hard. Wearing good boots made the difference between an "OWF*CK ... hahah... well, let's keep riding" and a trip to the hospital - ATGATT's for real.

orange bikes are the best

Dropped into the valley and passed by Twogood Cabin, then more singletrack out to the main road. Biffed one log crossing just before we got to the main road and lost about a gallon of gas when my cap popped off... hit reserve about 16mi out of Darby... coasted back into camp on fumes

Saturday, same deal, slightly different route. Merickk from NM joined us on his KLX today.

Here's the story behind the picture. My wife has never been on a motorcycle in her life. I'm 62, and just started riding, with her dubious blessings. Nanc agrees to come to WestFest with me. She gets to meet a gazillion super nice folks, and sees lots of ladies having fun on bikes. She finally asks one of them if her husband would give her a ride!! Tracy not only gets Larry to give Nanc a ride, she shares all her gear so Nanc can feel safe on the bike.

I now have a wife who understands the fun and joy of biking! A big "thank you" to all the good folks at WestFest that helped make this happen. We'll be seeing you next year!

Here's the story behind the picture. My wife has never been on a motorcycle in her life. I'm 62, and just started riding, with her dubious blessings. Nanc agrees to come to WestFest with me. She gets to meet a gazillion super nice folks, and sees lots of ladies having fun on bikes. She finally asks one of them if her husband would give her a ride!! Tracy not only gets Larry to give Nanc a ride, she shares all her gear so Nanc can feel safe on the bike.

I now have a wife who understands the fun and joy of biking! A big "thank you" to all the good folks at WestFest that helped make this happen. We'll be seeing you next year!